Data for the Middletown Area Studies were collected every year from 1978 to 1997. The purpose of these studies was to assess the views and lifestyles of citizens on a diverse range of subjects. The major topics included questions on life satisfaction, education, income, family, religion, and politics. The 1991 study assessed attitudes of people ages 60 and older on problems of abuse of the elderly, care giving, subjective well-being, medical care and other social issues and concerns.

Data File

Cases: 400
Variables: 89
Weight Variable: None

Data Collection

Date Collected: Data were collected each year during the spring from 1978 to 1981 and each year during the fall from 1981 to 1997 (the 1981 spring study is labeled 1981A and the 1981 fall study is labeled 1981B). The 1991 interviews were conducted during the period from October 29 to November 11, 1991.

Data were collected by means of telephone interview surveys. Telephone numbers of people who lived within Delaware County, Indiana, were randomly generated by a computer program in such a way that the proportion of telephone numbers within each of the active exchanges in Delaware County was the same in the sample as it was in the population.

Sampling Procedures

The sample consists of people who live within the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area of Muncie, Indiana, or Delaware County. In 1987, 1991, and 1995 only residents of Delaware County who were 60 years old or older were sampled. In 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996 only people who intended to vote were sampled; and in 1988 and 1992 Catholics were over-sampled.

Johnson, Stephen D., and David C. Morris (1983). "Who should bear the costs for the elderly: The government or family?" Gerontopics 5(3):37-40.

Johnson, Stephen D., and Joseph B. Tamney (1982). "The Christian right and the 1980 Presidential election." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 21(2):123-31.

Note 1

Socioeconomic index scores for Variables 15 (SPECOCC) and 17 (SPECRET):SEI SCORES for occupations are based on Duncan's SEI and U.S. Census (Based on simple average scores for occupation, education, and income for males).